Printing-machine.



C. E. HENRY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. I9I6.

Patented Dec, 4,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Mu m W a C. E. HENRY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7. 1916.

Patented Dec. 4, 191 Y:

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. E. HENRY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 7. 191a.

Patented Dec, 4, WW.

C. E. HENRY.

PRINTING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION. men NOV. 7. I916.

Patented Dec 4, 191?.

4- SHEETS-SHEET 4- Iwwwfor l i E. HENRY, 015 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ()NZE-HF TU! i T l l ALBERT '1. HANJBY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA."

PRINTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. d, T913...

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. HENRY, ;of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements in Printing-Machines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates more particularly to machines for printing articles united in serial relation, and is directed to mechanism whereby each series will receive at least one imprint. This is especially important for instance in dating or otherwise identifying food products, such as sausages and the like, so that the consumer may properly judge the condition of the product.

The invention is further directed to a con.

above character, whereby the several elements comprised by the conveying mechamsm and also the printing mechanism are operated at a synchronous surface speed, re-

gardless of the self-adjusting features already referred to. In the accompanying drawings, Figure T, is a plan view of a printing machine conaveniently illustrating my invention. Fig. TI, is a side elevation of the forward end of the same.

Fig. H1, is a central longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine.

- Figs. TV, and V, are detail views of the printing mechanism on an enlarged scale.

The device comprises a pair of parallel side frames 1, 1, united by a plurality of tie bars 2. The goods to be printed are fed to the machine upon an auxiliary belt 3, which is supported upon rollers 5, and 6. The slack of the feed belt may be taken up belt due to the weight of the goods during.

conveyance, supporting cross boards 18,

have been provided. These are rigidly attached to the side frames 1, and located in. the interspaces between the rollers 15, 17, and 16.

The slack of the main conveyer may be taken up by an idler roller 19, efl'ective and adjustable in a manner similar to the one described in connection with the auxiliary feed belt.

The foremost roller 15, serves as a driver for the main conveyer one of the protruding ends of its shaft 20, being provided with a power pulley 21, as shown in Fig. l[.

The auxiliary feed belt is driven from the same source by means of a gear wheel 22, which through an intermediate pinion 23,

transmit its motion to a pinion 25, mounted upon the shaft 26, which carries the drive roller 6. This gear ratio is such as to efl'ect a synchronous surface speed in both" conveyers.

In order to properly center, and at the .same time assist in conveying the goods through'the machine, a pair of vertical side feed belts 30, 30, have been provided. These belts are supported upon rollers 31, 31, and 32, 32, journaled in the bifurcated ends of arms 33, 33, adapted to swing about the vertical shafts 35, 35, as fulcrums. Said shaftsare journaled in integral brackets 36, 36, projecting inwardly from the side frames and are driven by spiral gears 37, 37, from the shaft 10,.upon which pinion 23, is mounted. Here again thegear ratio is such as to transmit a uniform relative surface speed to the belts 30, 30, which, as will be noted in Fig. l[, move in opposed directions in not order that belts 30, 30, may move in the The proper centering of the goods upon the conveyer is accomplished by means of a compensating device with which the swlnging arms 33, are relatively associated. This device comprises a spring pressed slide rod 38, adapted to slide longitudinally in lugs 39, projecting upwardly from a supporting bridge piece 40. This rod is provided with a bifurcated head 41, which affords a common pivotal attachment for the links 42, 42. At their other ends, these links are similarly attached to the vertical stud pins 43, 43, projecting upwardly from the side belt arms 33, 33. As seen in Fig. 1, these pins play in the curved slots 45, 45, of the intermediate bridge piece 46, and by this construction the outer ends of the arms 33, 33, are not only guided but also supported by the bridge piece. A spring 47, encircling the rod 38, and capable of adjustment by means of the thumb nut 48, serves to normally maintain the ends of the arms drawn toward each other to the extent allowed by the adjacent inner ends of the slots 45, 45, and at the same time yieldingly permits the arms to move laterally in accordance with the varying contours of the goods being printed. By this arrangement any motion of one of the side belts is imparted through the compensating device to its fellow so that the goods are accurately centered on the conveyer, in being presented to the printing mechanism, and in addition their conveyance assisted by the motion of the side belts.

Beyond the range of the latter, cloth covered guards 49, 49, co6perate with the main conveyer in guiding the goods to the delivery end of the machine.

The printing mechanism is located along the longitudinal center of the machine and comprises an endless type band 50, which passes about the supporting rollers 51, 52, carried within the bifurcated ends of an arm 53. Said arm is suspended so as to be fulcrumed about the counter-shaft 55, for roller 51. Arm 53, is free to swing under the influence of gravity so that the type band is at all times maintained in contact with the goods upon the conveyer and the capacity of the machine thereby enhanced to accommodate goods of varying vertical dimensions. arm 53, is limited by a stop arm 56, provided at its free end with a resilient buffer 57, adapted to engage the top of the side frame, 1. The said stop arm is adjustably clamped upon an extended sleeve 58, integrally formed with arm 53, so that the downward limit of the latter may be regulated in accordance with the use to which the machine is to be adapted. The band 50, may be provided with a series of similar type inscriptions, as indicated at 60, Fig. V, depending entirely upon the nature of the goods being printed, the arrangement and spacing being The downward motion of the such that, for instance in printing goods united in serial relation at least one element of each series will receive an imprint.

The type band 50, is driven at a surface speed corresponding to that of the conveyers and feed belts already described through a belt 61, which passes about a sheave 62, fixed upon the counter-shaft 55, and transmitting motion from a similar sheave 63, fast upon the shaft 10, already described. The positive drive of the belt 61, is assured through a belt tightener, indicated at 66.

The supply mechanism for the printing fluid is shown in detail in Figs. IV and V. This mechanism comprises a reservoir 70, adjustably set upon the forward bridge piece 71, by means of a clamp screw 72. The reservoir is preferably filled with absorbent cotton or like material which is saturated with the printing fluid so that the latter may be delivered through the feed roller 73, to a series of spreading rollers 7 5, 7G, and 77, of which the roller 77, runs in contact with the type inscriptions on the printing belt. The feed roller 73, is positively driven from the counter-shaft 55, through the gear pinions 78, 79, and 80, shown in Fig. IV. The spreading rollers are carried by an arm 81, which is loosely fulcrumed about the counter-shaft 55, and the roller 75, is maintained in driving contact with the feed roll 73, through gravity in a manner readily understood by reference to Fig. V. The trunnions. 82, of the intermediate spreader roller 76, are adapted to play within the slots 83, and coiled springs 85, effective against the said trunnions serve to maintain the intermediate spreader roll in positive driving contact with its fellows.

From the above it will be seen that a machine constructed according to my invention, with an automatically adjustable conveyer cotiperative with a self-regulating printing mechanism, both of which are operated at a synchronous-speed, may be employed in perfectly printing articles of varying dimensions and contours.

lVhile I have described my improvement as being particularly adapted in printing serial products, it is, of course to be understood that the same is applicable to any other uses.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a printing machine, the combination of a conveyer for feeding the articles to be printed; means for centering the articles on said conveyer, comprising paired memhere, together with compensating means, whereby the motion of one is transmitted to the other: and printing mechanism co'cipcratively associated with said conveyer.

2. In a printing machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyer; compensating devices for centering the gi in BEEF narrate accommodating goods of varying dimensions; printing mechanism cooperatively as:

sociated with said conveyer, said printing mechanism being capable of vertical selfregulation for the purpose of accommodating goods of varying dimensions; and means for driving all of said elements at a synchronous surface speed.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyer comprising a main horizontal belt, and a pair of cooperative vertically disposed side belts capable of moving toward and away from each other in accommodating articles of varying dimensions, a printing mechanism and a driving mechanism for driving said conveyer and printing mechanism at a synchronous surface speed.

5. In a printing machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyer comprising a main horizontal belt, and a pair of cooperative vertically disposed side belts capable of moving toward and away from each other, a compensating means controlling said side belts, wherebyany movement of one of said belts is correspondingly imparted to the other in accommodating articles of varying dimensions, a printing mechanism, and means for driving the said conveyer and printing mechanism at a Synchronous surface speed.

6. In a printing machine, the combination of a contlnuously moving conveyer comprising amain horizontal belt and a pair of cooperative vertically disposed side belts, swinging arms, supporting the said side belts and capable of moving toward and away from each other, to accommodate articles of varyin dimensions, a compensating means contro ling the said arms, whereby the motion of one-is correspondingly imparted to the other, said means comprising a guided slide rod, a link connecting each of the arms, with the said slide rod, a resistance spring normally tending to move said arms toward each other, a printing mechanism, and means for driving the said conveyer and printing mechanism at a synchronous speed. I

7 In a printing machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyer;

means for centering the articles on the conveyer, including a pair of swinging arms; a cross bar provided with slots adapted to engage the ends of said swinging arms, whereby said arms are permitted to swing away from and toward each other; links connected to the ends of said arms; a spring pressed rod to which said links are pivotally united, said rod being capable of sliding in one direction, whereby the motion of one of said swinging arms is imparted to the other; and printing mechanism cooperatively associated with said conveyer.

8. In a printing machine, a continuously moving conveyer in combination with a printing mechanism comprising an endless type band, a swinging supporting arm for said band operating under the action of gravity, and having capacity for automatic regulation toward and away from-the said conveyer under the control of the articles being printed and means for driving the conveyer and type band at a synchronous surface speed.

9. In a printing machine, a continuously moving conveyer, in combination with a printing mechanism comprising an endless type band, a sWingiIlg supporting arm. for the said band capable of automatically moving toward and away from the said conveyer through gravity under control of the articles being printed; means for supplying printing fluid to the said band; and means for driving the conveyer and printing band at synchronous surface speed.

10. In a rinting machine, a continuouslv" moving conveyer, in combination with a printing mechanism comprising an endless type band; a swinging supporting arm for the said band capable of moving toward and away from the said conveyer through gravity under control of the articles being printed; an adjustable stop for determining the downward motion of the said arm with relation to the said conveyer, means for sup plying printing fluid to the said band; and means for driving the said conveyer and printing band at a synchronous surface speed.

11. In a printingmachine, a continuously moving conveyer in combination with printing mechanism, comprising a shaft, a swinging bar pivoted thereon carrying an endless type band adapted to contact by gravity with the articles fed'by the conveyer; means for supplying printing fluid to the band, ineluding a reservoir, a positively driven feed roll mounted therein, a second bar pivoted to said shaft, a series of spreader rolls carried thereby and held by gravity in driving contact with said feed roll, and adapted to deliver the printing fluid to the type inscriptions upon said type band; and means for driving said conveyer and type band at,

tion of a continuously moving conveyer; an auxiliary feed belt for the conveyer; printing mechanism cooperating With the conveyer; centering means cooperating with the conveyor, including paired endless belts; and means for driving said conveyer, feed belt, printing mechanism and paired centering belts at a synchronous surface speed.

13. In a printing machine, the combina-' tion of a continuously moving conveyer; an

auxiliary feed belt for the conveyer; printing mechanism cooperating With the conveyer; centering means cooperating With the conveyer, including paired endless belts; means for driving said conveyer, feed belt, printing mechanism and paired centering belts at a synchronoussurface speed, including a gear mounted on a roller adapted to drlve the said conveyer and meshing with a second gear mounted on a freely rotating 20 shaft, said second gear meshing with a "ear mounted on a roller for driving said feed belt; a belt driven by said shaft adapted to drive said printing mechanism; and spiral gears mounted on said shaft adapted to drive said paired centering belts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this sixth day of November 1916.

CHARLES E. HENRY. Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON. 

